‘60 000 receiving food aid from Govt’

At least 600 000 vulnerable households have been receiving monthly food aid from Government since last year, Acting Secretary  for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mr Clifford Matorera has said.

Mr Matorera said this on Tuesday when he appeared before the Senate Thematic Committee on Sustainable Development Goals while presenting a draft report on what the ministry did towards achieving SDGs in  2018.

The households received the food aid under the Food Deficit Implementation Programme.  “This programme is targeted at food-insecure households and these households are identified through the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Programme and we also use Crop and Livestock Assessment reports in order to identify the most vulnerable members of the community,” he said.

“Currently, plus or minus 600 000 households are receiving food aid monthly, and I wish to report that nobody has been reported to have died of hunger because of the efforts Government is doing to distribute food aid to the people.”

Mr Matorera said 25 000 people were also assisted to access health services, with some of them being among the most vulnerable members of society.

“We also have support to the elderly, and as a ministry and Government we have 23 old people’s homes that are being supported by Government.

“I want to inform Parliament that as of 2018, Government managed to pay out per capita grants and administrative grants to all the 23 homes. Under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), Government is assisting vulnerable children in all forms of school fees, tuition, levies and even examination fees and as of 2018, a total of 583 547 orphaned and vulnerable children in our communities benefited under the scheme.”

Mr Matorera said 225 000 children received support last year under the assistance provided by the department of social welfare.